Weekly Devotional for Week of July 25, 2010

[Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks, PsyD]

Drown Out The Noise! (Part I)

Scriptures: John 14:27; Phil 4:6-8; & 2 Tim 2:4

This week’s devotional will be sent in three parts because I really want it to soak into your spirits. It is important that you grasp this message because it deals with your heart and mind; these are the core of your existence. If your heart and mind is full of turmoil, so will be everything else in your life. We must allow God’s peace to rule our hearts and minds and to do this, we must drown out the noise of the world and of everything else which keeps us distracted from God. We do this by filling our minds and hearts with the things and Word of God; there is no other way to keep our thoughts pure.

The battle begins in our mind: a thought, a suggestion, a judgment, or a suspicion against someone else, God, or ourselves. Therefore, we must allow God to guard our minds and hearts with the peace Jesus left us in John 14:27. This is what Jesus said in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed, and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled]” (Amp).

Paul said in Phil 4:6-8: ⁶ “Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. ⁷ And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things [fix your minds on them]” (Amp). This is how we are going to rest (have peace) in the Lord and not have our hearts and minds troubled or afraid; by thinking on the things in verse 8 of Phil 4.

Another Scripture that will help us drown out the noise, the distractions of the world, and everything that will cause us to lose focus on God is 2 Tim 2:4: “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier” (www.biblegateway.com – NKJV).

Therefore, I am asking that you allow the Holy Spirit to ministry to you as you study each part of the devotional. Also, please let the first part minister to you before you move on to part two; then allow part two to minister to you before going on to part 3.

Part I is the introduction and will give you the Scriptures to meditate on; these Scriptures will be used in all three parts of the devotional. It also will give you the focus of the complete devotional which is allowing God to rule your heart and mind.

Part II will show you how to keep the thoughts from entering your heart and mind and teach you about the spiritual battle we are in. This part will discuss the Spirit of Discernment and show how important it is in our lives.

Part III will discuss Accusing Spirit and show the part they play in affecting our thought life. This part will also show how these spirits obtain access to our thought life.

Shalom and have a blessed week with the Lord,

Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks

[Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks, PsyD]

Thanks Dr. Carol, that is the enemy trying to keep noise in your head to keep you from hearing from God but he is a liar and I come in agreement with you that the chattering has stopped for good; forget about putting them in a bag, take authority over them in the name of Jesus and command them to go where Jesus wants them to go. We must rise up and use the authority Jesus gave us in Luke 10:19: "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you" (www.biblegateway.com - NKJV). Those monkeys has to go and go now in the name of Jesus and I plead the blood of Jesus over your mind. Psalm 127:2 says God gives His beloved sleep so I am declaring that you will sleep at night when you go to bed; silence those monkeys by commanding that they shut up in the name of Jesus. God bless you continually Dr. Carol and I pray for your ministry that nothing will hinder you from doing what God has called you to do. God is with you and will never leave you; the Trinity lives in you, are connected to you, and goes everywhere you go. That's why the Word says, greater is He who is in us than he that is in the world and no weapon formed against us shall prosper - God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit lives in you. I pray for the Shalom of God to rest, rule , and abide in your heart and mind. Shalom

[Carol Weaver]

I am looking forward the the three parts and especially pt three, but all are needed, but that one really will touch on an important aspect needed am positive! Thank you for all you do and the lessons taught here for us all.

My mind is a chattering monkey often, and the only way I can sometimes stop it is an excercise that at night I sometimes use ( Beside of course praying as this is most important to bring peace to us) But I see the monkeys in a tree, and making a lot of noise that is chattering ( that is my mind and all the chattering going on) Then one by one, I take each and place it into a bag. As I do this the chattering will stop. Soon the whole tree is EMPTY, and Chattering is totally gone for the night!

I red this exercise once a long time ago and do not remember where, but it really seems to work for me anyway. It will quiet a' chattering mind.'

But nothing is like our Lord, Himself to grant us PEACE needed in our hearts, and minds each and every time as He knows our needs" before we even ask" He does however want US to come to HIM in FAITH.

God Bless you!

Pastor Dr Carol